The present invention generally relates to antennas and more specifically to three related, but distinct ideas. Two are classes of reconfigurable antennas constructed with the aid of MEMs shutters. The first class is the Fresnel zone plate antenna, which can be electronically reconfigured to point the main beam over a useful range of pointing directions. The second class is integrated circuit antennas constructed on dielectric substrates, such as the microstrip patch antenna and printed dipole antenna, which can be electronically reconfigured to operate over very wide bandwidths, either as isolated elements or in an array. The third idea is a technique to form multiple beams complete with null formation capability from a zone plate or reflect-array antenna.
Fresnel zone plate antennas are shown in the following U.S. Patents, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,621,459, Sep. 16, 2003, Plasma controlled antenna, Webb, George
U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,049, Oct. 29, 2002, Antenna device, Takeuchi
U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,852, Aug. 28, 2001, Integrated antenna for satellite and terrestrial broadcast reception, Amarillas
U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,139, Oct. 21, 1997, Compact microwave and millimeter wave radar, Huguenin
U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,965, Sep. 23, 1997, Compact antenna test range, Tuovinen
U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,334, Feb. 25, 1997, Integrated antenna for satellite and terrestrial broadcast reception, Amarillas
U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,589, Oct. 3, 1995, Compact microwave and millimeter wave radar, Huguenin
U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,944, Feb. 14, 1995, Phase correcting reflection zone plate for focusing microwave, Collinge
Applications of MEMs technology constitute a number of recent innovations such as the system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,908, which is incorporated herein by reference for use with the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,908 is entitled Microelectro-mechanical system actuator device and reconfigurable circuits utilizing same, by Bozler, Carl.
This cited patent discloses a micro-electro mechanical device which includes a fixed electrode formed on a substrate, the fixed electrode including a transparent, high resistance layer, and a moveable electrode formed with an anisotrophic stress in a predetermined direction and disposed adjacent the fixed electrode. The device includes first and second naturally conductive regions, which are isolated from one another by the fixed electrode. The moveable electrode moves to cover the fixed electrode and to electronically couple to the second conductive region, thus electrically coupling the first and second conductive regions, in response to a potential being applied across the fixed and moveable electrodes.
The fixed electrode is apparent to electromagnetic signals or waves and the moveable electrode impedes or allows transmission of electromagnetic signals or waves. In one embodiment of the invention, the fixed and moveable electrodes are configured within an array of similar devices, and each device or groups of devices in the array are individually addressable to actuate the moveable electrodes. In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a reconfigurable circuit including an array of actuatable devices which are addressed individually or in selected groups, each of the actuatable devices having a fixed electrode formed on a substrate, the fixed electrode including a transparent, high resistance layer, and a moveable electrode formed with an anisotropic stress in a predetermined direction and disposed adjacent the fixed electrode.